St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-07-28
THE GOVERNOR AND THE ELEC.
TON TICKET Law.

The Administration press have called
for specifications against the Governor
We have given one in our exposure OF
his treatment of The people Of this jill
licial district. We will now give
another proof, still more convincing il
possible, that he is an enemy to the
people. The Committee OF One Hun
dred, composed Of some of the best
citizens of New Orleans, addressed to
the Legislature, at its last session, a
memorial praying for, among other re-
forms, a repeal of the section of the
election law of 1882, requiring the bal
lots to be printed upon paper of uni
form size and quality, to be obtained
from the Secretary of State. The
memorial asserted that the section in
question, was framed and put into the
law to facilitate ballot-box stutfing
that the tickets deposited in the box
by the voters, being of uniform size
and color and Of the same quality of
paper and all printed, made it easy,
quick and safe to stuff the ballot boxes
with fraudulent votes. II the voter
were permitted, as always previously,
to choose his own paper and write his
own ballot, then in order to stuff the
box with fraudulent votes and avoid
detection and exposure, it would be
necessary, not only to duplicate exactly
all the ballots in size, quality and color
OF the paper used, but it would also be
necessary to forge the hand writing OF
each voter who had deposited written
ballot-a difficulty almost insurmount-
able, and at the same time an indispen-
sable safe guard to the purity Of the
ballot-box. Under the old law, that
had been in existence from the time
Louisiana became State until the
passage Of this iniquitous statute, every
voter could stand by the box while the
count was going on and easily identify
his ballot when it came out; and every
voter could be an instant and invinci-
BILE witness of the fraudulent substitu-
ton or forgery of his ballot. Now the
citizen is taken completely at a disad
vantage. He may be boldly and sue
cessfully defrauded of his most sacred
right, because the means of detecting
the crime against his ballot are taken I
away. The ward hummer and profess |
Sional can now safely do the work laid |
ont for them by the bosses.
1t was under cover OF this sinister
provision that the ballot-boxe of the .
city of New Orleans and of Tensas par
ish were suited with enough fraudulent
ballots to fasten upon the people for
fifteen years, for the benefit of the
bondholders, an extra annual tax of
S120,00000.
Well, the Senate Committee on Elec-
lions unanimously reported in favor
OF the repeal of the obnoxious section,
and this reform measure passed both
houses OF the Legislature, no one max
ing opposition. The Governor refused
to sign the act. Some of his personal
and political friends were surprised.
Senator Geo. A. Kelly of Vim, one of ,
the Governors supporters, made a t
strong personal appeal to him to sign it. !
He refused, saying that the law as it :
stood was good enough. For this lat I
er statement we can give excellent an t
thority.
No reason but bad one, has ever :
oeen given for keeping this obnoxious I
aw on the statute book. The plea of
political necessity is false The Democra- {
ic party never needed such devices and =
mares IN the law to maintain it's ascen- T
lency, and no good Democrat or real e
nan OF the people can defend or up- q
lold it. :